Radiohead Discussion Thread Part II

[cobl04]

I'm not the best with the whole musical-analysis skillz, but I can definitely hear DSOTM in those tunes.

how did listening to Shine On go?

The soaring guitar parts in "Lucky" seem like they came right out of David Gilmour's arsenal. The solos in "Time" and "Comfortably Numb" among many others have the same drawn-out, echoing sound.

I think that OK Computer and Dark Side are also very similar thematically, both dealing with the manner in which individuals deal with the pressures and paranoia of their respective environments. I've often thought that OKC can be seen as Dark Side updated for the 90s, at least from a lyrical standpoint.

well that makes more sense. the solos are the only things I could see contrasted musically, but lyrically yeah.

 

[u2popmofo]

something else I wanted to ask... why is OKC, and in particular Lucky & Tourist, continually get referred to as "Pink Floydian"? i've never understood.

I think Pink Floyd fans are very similar to U2 fans in that they themselves hear far more "influence" in things than is really there.

 

[u2popmofo]

I did a search to see if Radiohead themselves have ever commented on Pink Floyd. I randomly found this and had to share.

Robert Christgau: Consumer Guide Sept. 1997

Dud of the Month

RADIOHEAD: OK Computer (Capitol) My favorite Floyd album has always been Wish You Were Here, and you know why? It has soul, that's why--it's Roger Waters's lament for Syd, not my idea of a tragic hero but as long as he's Roger's that doesn't matter. Radiohead wouldn't know a tragic hero if they were cramming for their A levels, and their idea of soul is Bono, who they imitate further at the risk of looking even more ridiculous than they already do. So instead they pickle Thom E. Yorke's vocals in enough electronic marginal distinction to feed a coal town for a month. Their art-rock has much better sound effects than the Floyd snoozefest Dark Side of the Moon, but it's less sweeping and just as arid. I guarantee that it will not occupy the charts for 10 years. In fact, only because the Brits seized EMI does it have a chance to last through Christmas. B MINUS

Spoiler

 

[HCL]

God, this guy is that much of an idiot or he just pretends? (I never bother to read a critic, so I read anything written by this guy, even though I know who he is.)

 

[lazarus]

No, he's not an idiot at all. He's one of the most esteemed, influential, and open-minded critics in the history of music criticism.

Just because he's not partial to Radiohead doesn't make him an automatic fool.

We were discussing this in Random so I'll repost a link to a longer review of Hail to the Thief that isn't as catty and has a lot of sensible points (and I'm someone who loves the album):

Robert Christgau: No Hope Radio: Radiohead's "Hail to the Thief"

 

[PhilsFan]

He's definitely much better in long form. His short reviews tend to be too wordy for their own good. If you're going to write like that, you need some space to explain yourself.

He and I seem to have quite different tastes.

 

[If you shout...]

I think it's amazing that there are now Christgau apologists. I have no other words...just amazing. God, what a wonderful and fascinating age in which we live!

 

[PhilsFan]

I would put myself in the category of "not read enough of him to have an opinion." I disagree with most of what I've read so far, but that's not that much. His opinions on U2, as previously mentioned, are shitty.

 

[HCL]

No, he's not an idiot at all. He's one of the most esteemed, influential, and open-minded critics in the history of music criticism.

Just because he's not partial to Radiohead doesn't make him an automatic fool.

We were discussing this in Random so I'll repost a link to a longer review of Hail to the Thief that isn't as catty and has a lot of sensible points (and I'm someone who loves the album):

Robert Christgau: No Hope Radio: Radiohead's "Hail to the Thief"

My bad, I wasn't clear.
I've got no problem with him bashing whoever he wants too, hell, all my friends are sincerly U2 haters. And Radiohead fans are a hard one to find here too.
My problem is with the way he express himself. He sounds amazingly arrogant; the words he use, I hate that. I really got no problem with a critic dismissing a band I love (which is the case with several), but if he's going to do it, do it without being a snob prick.
That said, what he says in this review is interesting, however, it's not a review for the album. It's an article on a different subject, to me, and I don't like that on this particular case since it is disguised to sound like a Hail to the Thief review. Also he mantains that style that annoys me.
That's why I usually prefer to stay away for critics, make my own opinion and argue. I'll be wrong, I'll be right, that doesn't matter. For sure is that I'll have more fun

 

[LemonMelon]

Symptoms of Between Albums Syndrome:

1. Grasping at straws via unstubstantiated rumors and soundbytes
2. Criticizing music critics
3. Multiple covers threads, especially of shitty-sounding demos
4. Favorite _________ listing
5. Hair discussion

 

[HCL]

Symptoms of Between Albums Syndrome:

1. Grasping at straws via unstubstantiated rumors and soundbytes
2. Criticizing music critics
3. Multiple covers threads, especially of shitty-sounding demos
4. Favorite _________ listing
5. Hair discussion

R.E.M.'s thread should be temporarily closed when it gets to that last part.

 

[lazarus]

I think it's amazing that there are now Christgau apologists. I have no other words...just amazing. God, what a wonderful and fascinating age in which we live!

Why does this post not surprise me in the least?

 

[If you shout...]

Because I'm pro-internet...?

 

[LMP]

He's the Charlie Rose of music critics.

 

[LemonMelon]

Christgau was so much more credible when I had no idea who he was.

 

[u2popmofo]

I don't care if every other review he's ever written is wonderful and spot on, that OK Computer review is so bad that I don't know how anyone can read it and not laugh.

 

[PhilsFan]

I find the implication that any Pink Floyd album has a lot of "soul" downright hilarious. I enjoy quite a few Floyd albums, but I think they're about as soulless as any band in history.

 

[LMP]

Axver nods in agreement as he smashes a copy of Prince's Purple Rain all over his train set.

 

[PhilsFan]

If I can't dance in a way that results in a self-inflicted concussion, why would I bother dancing? BLACK METAL.

 

[lazarus]

I don't care if every other review he's ever written is wonderful and spot on, that OK Computer review is so bad that I don't know how anyone can read it and not laugh.

Should we judge your entire worth by any one idiotic opinion you may have had in the past? God knows there are probably like 1,000 to choose from.

I find the implication that any Pink Floyd album has a lot of "soul" downright hilarious. I enjoy quite a few Floyd albums, but I think they're about as soulless as any band in history.

Wasn't the point of the review that Syd Barrett was a legitimate personal inspiration for PF's album, vs. Radiohead's more oblique reason for making their record.

He's wrong, but the actual thought behind the review isn't completely vacant.

 

[PhilsFan]

I've read that seven times and haven't a clue what he's trying to say. Is he trying to say Yorke comes off too detached? Is he trying to say Yorke's personal demons are too vague? Would either of those things be a problem? I can't tell. Like I said, I find him too wordy for his own good in a lot of those short reviews.

 

[If you shout...]

Why does this post not surprise me in the least?

I'm still trying to parse this Xgauian question. To hell with the reviews.

...But here's one of the all-time head-scratchers, all the same:

The Curse of Blondie [Sanctuary, 2004]
Believes in reincarnation, wishes the pope had a bigger dick ("Shakedown," "End to End") **

 

[PhilsFan]

The more I read his reviews, the more I realize how different his tastes are.

I mean, he ranks Blink-182 way ahead of U2 and Radiohead.

 

[u2popmofo]

Should we judge your entire worth by any one idiotic opinion you may have had in the past? God knows there are probably like 1,000 to choose from.

Did I allude to his worth being less because of it, or even give any opinion whatsoever about him? I honestly have absolutely no opinion on the guy or any other review he's ever written. I only said that this specific review is humorously bad, as the conversation seemed to have strayed from the point. If I somehow offended you, I apologize as it was unintended, I'm not really sure why you seemed to take any of it personally.

 

[If you shout...]

I think that Laz is reacting to something he's mistakenly perceiving, rather than something that's actually happening. It happens to the best of us. I guess that I should clarify, too. I'm pretty lukewarm on Xgau (sometimes I think he's brilliantly insightful and precise, sometimes boorishly stupid and underthought), but whatever. I just think that it's amazing that the internet has provided us access to SO MANY of his reviews that a dude who is (and has been for decades, at this point) kind of a good-natured joke in the review community now has fervent supporters who have probably read more of his reviews than he has; same goes for the haters.

It's amazing, in a post-Kanye kind of way.

 

[HCL]

I mean, he ranks Blink-182 way ahead of U2 and Radiohead.

Well... that's an example of how hard it is to understand someone's opinions sometimes.
Again, that's why I don't read critics.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

It's amazing, in a post-Kanye kind of way.

So much of what you write fascinates me, in a weird way.

What the hell do you mean by post-Kanye? I've been trying to wrap my head around this. If you were making a joke, well then it went over my head. If "post-Kanye" is actually supposed to mean something that we as a discussion community should understand, by God, please explain it to me.

 

[nielsgov]

So much of what you write fascinates me, in a weird way.

What the hell do you mean by post-Kanye? I've been trying to wrap my head around this. If you were making a joke, well then it went over my head. If "post-Kanye" is actually supposed to mean something that we as a discussion community should understand, by God, please explain it to me.

I have this with almost every post in B&C.

 

[LemonMelon]

I assumed post-Kanye was a genre of some kind, like "post-rock" or "post-punk," perhaps as a label for slower, more cerebral pop-rap.

Examples: Kid Cudi, Kanye West (re: 808s & Heartbreak), Drake.

 

[corianderstem]

I thought it was a goofy riff on Kanye's song "Amazing."

Like "It's amazing ... LOLKANYE."

I'd bet I'm wrong.